Bit.



P. M. SWART.

BIT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 w rwwllwiv 9 THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTU-LITh-Y WA5HING70N4 D. C.

"UNITED STATE PATENT @FFIiCFi,

FRED M. SWART, 0F IVIARGABETVILLE, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed June 3, 1913. Serial No. 771,482.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED SWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Margaretville, in the county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bits, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a curb-bit for bridles, the object thereof beingto provide a bit wherein the leverage or power of the curb will be in direct proportion to the amount of force exerted upon the reins, the leverage being increased as the force upon the reins is increased, and vice versa.

A further object of the invention is to provide a self-regulating leverage attachment for bridle bits which. may be readily applied to a bit or may be easily detached therefrom, thus rendering it so that a bit having a different form of mouth piece may be substituted for the bit to which the attachment is initially applied, or the attachment or bit may be separated for the purpose of repairing either.

A still further object is the provision of a bit of the character set forth which is simple in construction so as to be inexpensive in the cost of manufacture and which will be very durable and etlicient in use.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bit constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the curb device in its position of minimum leverage; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bit showing the curb device in position of maximum leverage; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 of Fi 2; Fig. 4 is a :t'ragmentary side elevation of one of the curb arms, showing a modified form of slide block and ring mounted therein; and, Fi 5 is a transverse sectional view taken therethrough.

In the drawing the numeral 1 designates the mouth piece of a bit, which may be of any desired construction, and which connects the cheek pieces 2 and 3. Each of the cheek pieces includes an enlarged, flattened body portion 4 and an upward extension 5 having a ring 6 formed at the upper end thereof for attachment to the cheek straps of a bridle. A curb arm which is in the is detachably secured to the outer side face of the body portion 4 of each cheek piece by means of the fastening members 8, so as to depend therefrom oppositely with respect to the cheek extension and at an angle thereto, as shown, but it is to be miderstood that this arm may be in direct prolongation of the arm 5 if desired. A slide block 9 is mounted within the slot 1.0 provided between the side portions of each member 7 with the grooves 11 and 19 in its front and rear faces receiving the side portions of the said member, so that the block will. be guided during its vertical sliding movement. A ring 13 is mounted within a transverse opening 14: provided in each side block 5.) and a link 15 connected with each ring l3 and is adapted to have a bridle rein attached thereto. An upwardly extending arm 16 is formed upon one side portion of each member 7 and is provided at its upper end with an imvardly projecting hook 17 to which the upper end of an extensile spring 18 is at tached removably, the lower end of the said spring being attached to an apertured lug 19 formed centrally upon the upper end of the corresponding slide block 9. The lower ends of the members 7 are provided with attaching loops 20 to which the bridle reins may be attached when it is desired to constantly maintain maximum leverage upon the bit.

In using a bit constructed in accordance with the invention upon a horse or other draft animal, the slide blocks 9 are normally maintained in their uppermost positions, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the arrangement is substantially that of the ordinary snaffle bit. In the event that the animal should become fractious, the driver or rider, as the case may be, may exert a powerful curbing action upon the bit by pulling rearwardly upon the reins with a little more than the force required in managing the animal under ordinary conditions, due to the fact that the slide blocks 9 will be forced downwardly through the slots 10 in the member 7 against the tension of the springs 18 so as to afford increased leverage upon the hit. As soon as the animal has been quieted, the pull upon the reins may be released, thus restoring the bit to its normal, snaflle arrangement.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing a modified form of slide block 9' is disclosed, together with a modified form of ring 13, the slide form of a substantially U-shaped member 7 block being provided with a substantially numeral 13, which strain would be too great to permit free sliding movement of the slide block to which the is attached. Lateral strain will not effect the operation of the slide block when the round ring is used. The ring 13 disclosed in the preceding fig ures of drawing is intended primarily for use in connection with bits of riding bridles, or bridles for use in single driving.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it should be apparent that I have provided a simply constructed bit of the charac er set forth wherein the parts may be readily separated for the purpose of repair, and which will effectively perform the function ascribed thereto. I desire to have it understood, however that minor changes in the details of construction may be resorted to in practice without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described invention, what I claim is:

A bit of the class described comprising cheek pieces, a mouth piece connecting the same, a substantially U-shaped member secured to the outer face of each cheek; piece with its cross portion disposed lowermost to form a depending curb arm, one side portion of the said member being extended upwardly past the other side portion, a slide block mounted between the side portions of said member and having laterally spaced flanges upon its side edges embracing the respective side portions of the member, an expansible spring connecting each slide block with the upper end of the extended side portion of the corresponding U-shaped member, each slide block being provided with a lateral slot opening through its front edge, a rein-attaching ring adapted to be engaged within the said slot, and means for maintaining each U-shaped member spaced from the corresponding cheek piece for a distance greater than the thickness of the innermost edge flanges of the slide block.

In testimony whereof I afl): my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED M, SWART.

Witnesses H. D. SWART, T. E. KIT LE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing;v the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

